4cls Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 After several years of motorcycling in france and using hotels etc we have decided next year to 'motorhome it' , can any one tell us what the parking is like in places like the 'D;'day beaches, at Villedieu-les-Poeles and at Le Mont san Michel ? I envisage probs in the villages cos of the 'long' nature of our home, a Swift Airsteam 680, problems similar to what happens in England, ( sorry cannot park here), We dont want to stay over night, just stop and look around, as camp sites are being booked for over nights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwyn Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 Easy peasy in France, not paranoid about gypsies like UK, apart from cities we have never had a problem parking the van anywhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel wood Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 Parking at Mont St Michel has changed this year - designated parking is now on the "landside" of the causeway and expensive. If you wish to visit it may be better to stay on a site or the new aire and walk or cycle to where the free shuttle busses take you over the causeway. Whatever you do, don't stay overnight on the designated motorhome parking area near the shuttle bus terminal as you will need a new day's ticket at 2 am!! In June we had an overnight stay at one of the nearby campsites- with the ACSI Discount Card I think we paid 14 euros. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petra Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 It is very easy to park in most towns and villages as they have aires which are specifically for motorhomes. It is best to buy All the Aires book (the new one comes out in December) from Vicarious Books which will give you all the locations, prices range from free to ten euros per day. We did the D Day beaches last year and had no problem whatsoever parking at any of the beaches, museums or towns along the coast apart from at Bayeux on market day, we went back on the Sunday. The French have a different attitude to motorhome parking than the Brits. Unless you are travelling in July or August you should no problem staying at campsites without booking, An ACSI book would be useful and could save you a bit of cash. It gives you discounts in low season throughout Europe and includes everything including showers, electric and a dog if you have one. At Mont St Michel we were there this year and it is quite expensive to park at 12.50 Euros for the day and 25 euros overnight. There is a huge car park with free buses over to Mont St Michel. Alternatively there is a campsite at the Hotel but not sure what price they charge. The only place you may have problems parking for the day is at Gold Beach at Arromanches. The aire is usually full and very tight. Alternatively there is a municipal campsite just behind the aire or otherwise park up at the 360 cinema on the clifftop and take the free train down into town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertandjean Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 Forget parking in UK, France is a different ball game. On the whole it is so much easier to park in France, particularly if you make use of the aires. Most places in the area you mention have aires, often right in the village or town centre. Shame you have booked camp sites as it is much better to stay on aires! (yes we know many people "hate" aires and just love camp sites with the communal showers etc). But you can still park up on the aires during the day and make these your base. Do not worry re lenghth van, ours is around 7.00 m and no problems and see many larger French vans on aires. Enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldi Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 Evening all, Remember that the low season in France is from Oct to March of April time , yo can often park for free in low season but the re might be no utilities so planning is a bit more important. norm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly58 Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 We had an Ace Airstream 680 FB and had no trouble at all parking in France either on Aires / Campsites supermarkets or town / village parking area's by any chance your reg do's not end in NYV ? if so it could be our previous one . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithR Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 fine as the vicarious books aires book may be, im sure it DOESNT contain all the aires. i find a couple of the many french aires books as well will be invaluable. but i totally agree, parking and overnighting is never a probleem once you get off the ferry (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 You don't say what time of year you are going but if it is out of high season you shouldn't need to book any sites. Even at busy times you can usually get a place if you arrive 3 - 4 pm. Contrary to the impression given by robertandjean, the showers on sites are not communal - you get one to yourself. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilmac Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 4cls - 2012-11-18 6:24 PM After several years of motorcycling in france and using hotels etc we have decided next year to 'motorhome it' , can any one tell us what the parking is like in places like the 'D;'day beaches, at Villedieu-les-Poeles and at Le Mont san Michel ? I envisage probs in the villages cos of the 'long' nature of our home, a Swift Airsteam 680, problems similar to what happens in England, ( sorry cannot park here), We dont want to stay over night, just stop and look around, as camp sites are being booked for over nights. You really won't find any problems parking or overnighting in France - it has to be THE most motorhome friendly country! You don't have to rely on campsites either, the Aires are everywhere, just Google 'French Stopovers' and go through the results - there's a wealth of information out there ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly58 Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 KeithR - 2012-11-18 8:01 PMfine as the vicarious books aires book may be, im sure it DOESNT contain all the aires.i find a couple of the many french aires books as well will be invaluable.Vicarious Books has a new Aires Guide being released in December with a new layout lots more Aires and LPG sites I have ordered mine already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Parking at (or near) Mont St-Michel was discussed here http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=28108&posts=13 Parking at Villedieu les Poeles should not be difficult - though, as it's a touristy town, you should expect it to be busy in high summer and there's a large market there on Tuesdays that clogs everything up. A 24-hour stay at the campsite not far from the town centre might be worth considering. If you've got particular places in mind to visit, I suggest you look at the campingcar-infos website that covers parking as well as 'aires'. http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index1.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retread24800 Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 I think you need to differentiate between parking and overnighting. Touristy areas will probably have dedicated parkings for CC ie at Mont st Michel which can be expensive. If we are talking about parking in or adjacent to towns and villages on a public area especially car parks agree you will not have any problems until you decide to camp there, nothing should distinguish your van, no wedges, steps, awnings, tables and chairs etc. If you are on an Aire dedicated to CC or a campsite then obviously camping is allowed but as always be guided by what the others round you are doing. The Recommendations to Campingcaristes is given here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithR Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 as i understand it, you are NOT allowed to have awnings tables et cetera out on an aire (of any sort). these things constitute camping and are only allowed on campsites. i have ordered all the aires france from vicarious books (never had it before,, but will still carry my 'le guide national des aires de service camping-cars' (my favourite) and my camping-cars.infos. (and of course my bord-atlas). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retread24800 Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 KeithR - 2012-11-19 2:13 PMas i understand it, you are NOT allowed to have awnings tables et cetera out on an aire (of any sort). these things constitute camping and are only allowed on campsites. This is a common misconception There are many types of aire ie:- Aire de ServiceAire de StationnementAire d’accueilAire d’étapeThe first is specifically an area (Aire) where you can dump your waste and possibly fill up with fresh water this might be associated with the second which is a parking area and thus would not allow any 'camping' but would allow overnight sleeping. The third and fourth are dedicated overnight areas L'aire d'’accueil is often on private land ie the France Passion scheme and similar. An Aire d'étape is often an old Municipal site that has been made over to provide overnight or longer breaks specifically for motor homers. But you are unlikely to find anyone on these with the typical British windbreak! Camp sites are for caravanner's and poor people with tents. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel wood Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Retread24800 - 2012-11-19 2:03 PM > Camp sites are for caravanner's and poor people with tents. An inaccurate generalisation which is hardly likely to be helpful to a new user of this forum. Many motorhomers use campsites - it is their choice! Incidently campsites are for a caravanner's what exactly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 KeithR - 2012-11-19 1:13 PM as i understand it, you are NOT allowed to have awnings tables et cetera out on an aire (of any sort). these things constitute camping and are only allowed on campsites. That's the theory :D.....................but its not necessarily what happens ;-)............... "When in France do as the French do".............. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Collings Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 With the exception of world class attactions such as Mont St Michael and the major cities, France is possibly the worlds best car park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithR Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 i guess i stand corrected roger, :$ i dont think ive used the 3rd and 4th of your aire types, but not sure *-) i agree with your assessment of campsites, but i have to admit i do use them!!!!! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retread24800 Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 KeithR - 2012-11-19 6:08 PMi guess i stand corrected roger, :$ i dont think ive used the 3rd and 4th of your aire types, but not sure *-) i agree with your assessment of campsites, but i have to admit i do use them!!!!! :-D I have been slumming too................. Once I went to one of those English run "Adult" sites, was I disappointed ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithR Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 started to get excited then : (lol) :D :$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Two links that may help to dispel any confusion UK motorcaravanners may have regarding French 'aires': http://www.motorcaravanning.com/travel/aires.htm http://www.motorhomefacts.com/modules.php?name=Aires and some overnight-stops photos: https://live.staticflickr.com/3083/2530141963_8c361b7c15_b.jpg The parking facilities associated with the majority of French motorhome service-points are public car-parks that (usually) do not have parking places dedicated to motorhomes. While relaxing in chairs outside your motorhome's entrance door with a glass of wine is most unlikely to cause an international incident, treating a French car-park as a full-house campsite may well earn disapproval. Personally, I've never had qualms over employing levelling-ramps on a sloping car-park. It shouldn't be difficult to identify the change-over point when 'parking' stops and 'camping' begins if a little commonsense is used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 A picture of Pelmetman breaking the rules >:-)...................I even had my awning out earlier :D......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwyn Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 This might not be quite the place to have my first rant but here goes, I get extremely sick and tired of the holier than thou brigade who use Aires exclusively but seem to think that there is something wrong with those of us who prefer campsites exclusively and insist on telling us on every occasion possible. I've got news for you, its a great big travelling world out there and we are all individuals with different wants and needs there is no right or wrong way to travel, each to his own and live and let live. OK rant over Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 gwyn - 2012-11-19 6:42 PM This might not be quite the place to have my first rant but here goes, I get extremely sick and tired of the holier than thou brigade who use Aires exclusively but seem to think that there is something wrong with those of us who prefer campsites exclusively and insist on telling us on every occasion possible. I've got news for you, its a great big travelling world out there and we are all individuals with different wants and needs there is no right or wrong way to travel, each to his own and live and let live. OK rant over Eh? 8-).................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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